Spoken Silence
by angel 0f darknes
Summary: Traumatised, Syaoran lost his ability to speak. Despite the pain, he live. By chance, he met Sakura during a field trip and a bond was forged over a self-written piece of music. "Tell me what you feel." 'I can't.' SxS


_**Disclaimer: **_CCS is not within my ownership... but this plot is. =]

_**Summary: **_Traumatised, Syaoran lost his ability to speak. Despite the pain, he grew into a healthy boy. By chance, he met Sakura during a field trip and a bond was forged over a self-written piece of music. _Tell me what you feel. _I can't. SxS Oneshot

**Spoken Silence**

"Li-kun! Li-kun!" they yelled with hands waving in the air, "We're heading to the Sankou Shrine! Do you want to come?"

Syaoran shook his head, no.

"Are you sure?" Takahashi patted his back. "You've never been here no?"

Again, he shook his head.

"Do you want me to stay?"

He shook his head again.

"Okay, we should be back soon. Meet us at the fountain over there in an hour, okay?"

He nodded as Takahashi left to join their friends.

Syaoran inhaled deeply, letting the air swirl inside his lungs before freeing them. He closed his eyes and leaned against the back of the bench.

The air was fresh and crisp.

Syaoran's grade was on a field trip to Osaka and this was their second day here. At the moment, it was their free time to explore whatever they wanted before meeting up with their in-charge teacher.

In contrast to the energy and enthusiasm his friends were displaying, Syaoran felt more off-beat today and preferred relaxing in the beautiful city. The sky was blue, the sun ray warm and the air gentle. Syaoran was glad the trip was placed during the beautiful month of June, as the weather was becoming warmer for the coming summer.

His class was very much excited by the attraction sites at Osaka since the girls had constantly squealed and spoke animatedly, describing what they expected to see. Whereas,

Syaoran wasn't as interested in the attraction of temples or shrines here, but rather the cherry blossoms, the symbol of Osaka.

Since a child, Syaoran had always been fascinated by the petite blossoms. He enjoyed watching them spread themselves across the field with the aid of the gentle breeze. He loves it when they begin blooming, filling the once empty trees with endless petals. He particularly favoured the tall and thick trunk with large and growing branches. He felt particularly peaceful and comforted whenever he lay against its trunk with a book in hand and a shadow casting over his form.

Syaoran stood from his bench and headed toward the field he knew the cherry blossoms took root. His steps were leisurely, steps of someone who had all the time in the world. He passed walking couples with hands entwined and friends who were emerged in their own world. He noticed that there were many other teenagers draped in a different uniform from his.

He squinted his eyes, channelling all his attention toward the little pink fluttering on the ground from a way away. He could feel his heart picking up speed, knowing that his destination was close. Maybe this would be a little exaggerated for some, but Syaoran simply had a particular fetish with the tiny cherries.

He found them delicate and sweet and he had actually tasted many of its spread and found the light tang calming. This was a tiny obsession that Syaoran had not told anyone before.

He could feel his breath hitch when the sight became clear. The falling cherry blossoms indicated the ending of its prime, but Syaoran found the blossoms shining beautifully even now. The breeze carried them everywhere, spreading them over the ground, making a thick blanket of flower petals, welcoming all those who set themselves onto the land.

He stepped into the site and headed for the largest tree and the thickest trunk. He spread out his palm and stilled in mid-air, allowing the petals to fall into his grasp. The petals piled up until it started falling off his palm. Syaoran smiled at the sight. It was truly nostalgic. He felt a soothing feeling set over his heavy heart.

Glad, he set down and leaned against the trunk of the tree. His hair was flowing with the gentle breeze brushing over his eyes and his temple. Some petals flushed down his cheeks, sending him a friendly greeting. He took a deep breath and he felt as if he could truly fall asleep here. Slightly annoyed that he couldn't because their leisure would be ending soon and he had to return to his field trip.

For now, ignoring the limit on time, Syaoran focused on the sound of falling petals clattering against the ground. He noticed the sound of the breeze whispering to the cherry blossoms and he felt as if the two were fluttering and chatting, gossiping the latest occurrences of the weathers and other flowers. He felt the spirits of these trees glow, flowing with happiness at the summer ray's blessing.

He closed his eyes and emptied his head, allowing whatever thoughts to claim him. Unsurprisingly, the dancing music notes floated in front of his eyes and placed themselves onto a music sheet as a beat started ringing in his ears. In the most natural way, the notes modified themselves as he started adding his own touch to the inspiration in his mind.

Although tempted to quickly draft down whatever he had in his mind to the bundle held in his hands, Syaoran wanted to make sure each note was clearly engraved and defined in his mind first. He was afraid not of forgetting the music, but losing sight of the spirit of the piece.

His quiet past time and rushing idea was interrupted when he felt a pressure pressing against his ankle before a heavy weight landed on his calf. If he could, Syaoran would have very much liked to wince as he tugged the defined parts of his melody into a storage.

He opened his eyes to see a bundle of silky auburn hair and a flowing black skirt. He looked at the symbol hovering over her left breast, noting that whoever it was, she did not come from his school.

"I-I'm sorry." He heard a low muttering as the girl began collecting herself and pushing her off the stranger she had tripped over. Seeing her in trouble, Syaoran leaned forward and helped pull the girl to her feet, him standing up as well.

"T-thank you." She bowed lightly before lifting her head.

Syaoran blinked twice when his amber eyes connected with her glittering orbs. He could hear a lingering click somewhere in the back of his mind. What click remains unknown.

Her orbs were the most brilliant green he had ever seen. Coincidently, his favourite colour was green and therefore, he had always tried to find a new shade of green that could outdo the old. And this green shadowing over her eyes was a magnificent kind that he had no doubt he would not be able to encounter again. Her eyes glimmered in the sunlight and her orbs were gleaming with moisture, creating a beautiful shine.

He opened his mouth to say something before reality kicked in and he closed his eyes regretfully. The instinct to speak, he thought, was long dead.

The girl titled her head lightly, confusion clouded her vision. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

Syaoran shook his head and set himself down onto the ground once again. It was hard to converse with strangers and he didn't want to explicitly wave his hands everywhere just to let them know his limit.

He reached for the notepad he was carrying and began sketching the range of music notes onto the lined sheets. Finally he believed that he had been able to capture the piece. Watching cherry blossoms always seemed to trigger his inspiration. Engrossed in his creation, he didn't notice the addition, unapproved companion sneaking peeks beside him.

She noticed his silence and figured he didn't favour conversing with strangers so she was about to make her exit until he drew such an interesting piece of work. Her eyes scanned the variety of signs the boy was sketching down and she imagined the music in her mind. Her musical gift was very limited, but the feeling exerting from the boy's concentration had miraculously aid her in deciphering the numerous notes expertly drawn.

Unable to quench her curiosity or the temptation pulling at her, she kneeled beside him and it seemed her presence continued to remain oblivious.

"That seems like a very interesting piece."

Her voice startled him and distracted him from his work, he glanced at the girl beside him. She gave him a polite smile before pointing to the sheet in his hands. "You like music?"

Wordlessly, Syaoran nodded before continuing his specialty, but more aware of the presence beside him.

Constantly, he cast glances at the sight of falling blossoms as more musical notes fleeted through his mind. Her eyes continued to follow his and she smiled as his hand began moving more ferociously. She could feel the eagerness and energy he was emitting as inspiration floored into him.

She giggled, momentarily distracting the other young boy. "You must really love music? I enjoy listening to music too and I have a cousin who has an unbelievably amazing voice. Unfortunately, I am not as gifted."

Syaoran stared at her for a short moment before giving her one of his gentle smile. The one that made all the girls surrounding him swoon; it had a similar effect on this girl as a red hue took over her cheeks.

He could feel the sincerity in her words and guessed she probably treasured her cousin very much. Someone who talks about music with such a gentle voice and glittering eyes was scarce.

Unable to reciprocate with her manner, Syaoran guiltily returned to finishing his draft and spontaneous stimulation.

"Are cherry blossoms also your hobby? You seem very engrossed in watching them."

Slightly disheartened at the boy's response, or lack of, she bit her lower lip. His smile made her heart race and she simply wanted to know what was on his mind. She was intrigued by his talent to contract such overwhelming feelings over a piece of paper. She could feel the sound of music, as if the notes were fluttering around her, singing her their rhythm.

"Tell me what you feel." She said, trying to keep her voice from rising as the eagerness began taking over. "How do you feel watching the blossoms and writing that?"

At that, the boy stopped his vigour handling and turned to look at her. Initially, she was happy as he had finally gave her his full attention. When his torn eyes bored into hers, she was slightly taken aback at the sudden blow. How did she hurt the boy, she had no idea.

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered, her voice filled with remorse. "Did I offend you without knowing?"

Slowly, he reached and pulled out the white paper hidden under the cluster of lined paper and scribbled hurriedly over its pure surface. He handed it over to her.

'_I can't speak.'_

Her eyes widened in shock, "I am so, so sorry. I-I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say."

She fell back and landed on her calves, her hands clasped in front of her knees as she turned to her lap. She felt horrible. She had been slightly annoyed at his silence, but to think he couldn't speak was nowhere near her imagination.

She felt like such a horrible person now. She thought back to the way she had forcefully tried to make him talk simply to satisfy her own curiosity. She disgusted herself. How could she be so intruding and rude?

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered, this time her voice was feathery light.

She felt a warm hand placed on her shoulder, making her look up. Her gaze met a smiling face and a piece of paper wavering in front of her.

'_It's fine. Don't be sad.'_

Nodding, she pushed the strand of hair sticking to her cheek behind her ear and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry for being rude. My name is Kinomoto Sakura. Nice to meet you." She offered her hand.

After quick scribbling, Syaoran took her hand in his, _'Li Syaoran.'_

With a light squeal, they pulled their hands away, retrieving it back to the safety net of their chest. The light touch had propelled an electrifying current shooting though their arms. It was kind of painful, now leaving a lingering tingle in each finger and a buzz in their recovering muscles.

Syaoran clenched and unclenched his palm, trying to regain some feel to his arm and get rid of the tingle. That was weird. The feeling was similar to that of getting electrified, except that it was a little more painful and a pressure remained on his heart.

Sakura had her hand grasped at the front of her shirt, bunching the material of her fabric. Her heart was racing at the sudden sensation coursing through her. They were foreign, nothing she had ever felt before and she felt embarrassed at the sudden withdrawal of her hand when she had been the one that offered it.

"W-where are you from?"

'_Tomoeda.'_

Her eyes had a sudden twinkle that puzzled him. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it.

He tilted his head to the side. _'Is something wrong?'_

"No, no." Sakura shook her head, a mischief smile still played across her lips. "So, Li-kun, what instrument do you play?"

'_Piano.'_

Impulsively, he reached forward and played a finger on her wrist. He, too, was surprised at his forwardness, but it was as if a bond was forged by the shock of electricity. His fingers drummed against her wrist, his fingers contracted with her skin so naturally, it was as if they had known one another for a long time.

He listened to the beat playing in his heart intently and transmitted it through their touch. A high note made his finger brush pass her skin quickly, a lower note allowed him to savour her soft skin longer. An echo allowed him to deepen his touch onto her wrist and a quick phrase allowed him to draw his fingers up above her forearm.

He couldn't help his lips from pulling back into a smile. He could really hear the music, every beat, every note, every echo, drumming through his ears. He had never played his music on someone's arm before and this one was a very interesting experience. He glanced at her momentarily to catch a blush across her cheeks as her eyes followed the move of his fingers. He felt as if she could hear it as well. As if she could hear every beat he was making, every note running through his mind, fusing his music into her heart.

And she could.

She didn't miss a single beat. She didn't want to.

She channeled all her concentration into each tap of his fingers, quickly picking up what each touch meant. The slight sway, the little changes that meant a different tone and she could feel herself immersing into his pace. She felt herself beginning to hum along with his energy as the music signs danced around her. The dance was slow, gentle, yet buzzing with energy.

She closed her eyes and pulled the jumper sleeve further up, further exposing her skin to his touch. Her head bobbed from side to side, a gentle smile began to pull at her lips and giggles started erupting from her throat.

Her laugh sounded bright, like a ray on a healthy summer day. Like when you bathed yourself under the sun and breathed in the colourful shine. Like on a dark night with a bright moon and her pitch carried itself through the summer night. Like a gentle summer dawn with the sun setting behind the mountain, its shadow overcasting the town.

'_Can you hear it?'_

Slightly disappointed at the sudden absence of warmth, Sakura continued to smile at him. "I can. It goes something like this: hm, ah hm, hm hm..." She continued to hum the song she had just been taught.

"Sorry, I might have got some bits wrong."

'_No, it was pretty good.'_

"Ah!" Sakura remembered. "So do you like cherry blossoms?"

'_Yes.'_

"Me too." She giggled. "My mother named me after them because she loves cherry blossoms."

Syaoran nodded before Sakura continued excitedly. "It's kind of natural for me, I guess. I mean, it's my name!" She pulled her sleeve over her wrist. "I mean, they're really beautiful you know. They bloom quickly, but die just as easily. While they're there though, they're amazing."

A bubble of excitement started building in the pit of his stomach and Syaoran wished he could laugh out loud. As if infected by her, he wanted to converse with her and to get to know her. Being unable to tell her how he felt, to immediately reply to her and keep the momentum of the conversation was strangely painful. The time taken to scribble on his pad would have been better spent if he could instead watch her eyes and learn the tingling sensation in his feet.

His inability to speak had never been a problem to him before. He could also talk to his friends well since they had all went out of their way to learn sign language. And he didn't usually engage in any conversation with strangers except for the occasional polite answers for direction or time.

School wasn't very inconvenient either. In fact, he could study very well exactly because he had no need to concentrate on whispering to his seat partner. It did, Syaoran had to admit, be a bit inconvenient when there was a project involving groups, but Takahashi and Eriol had always been there to support him. And whenever there was something amiss, Eriol always made sure Syaoran told him and Eriol would speak up.

Syaoran had never felt belittled or his life was so drastically altered that he needed – or wanted – to make any efforts to be 'normal'. He was comfortable and the people around were kind and he was happy to be accepted as who he was. That was not to say there were no occasional nasty and inconsiderate encounters.

The lack of socialisation was never a problem since Syaoran had always been a silent person. It's just that the thought of ever having an urge to converse with someone had never passed his mind.

Younger, he had been to doctors for countless checkups and they could never detect any fatal wounds. Because there were none to be detected. Instead, they referred him to psychologists, insisting that it is the work of the mind rather than any physical disability. He was forced to visit a psychologist and they said it was likely that particular a incident had traumatised him.

That thought disturbed him.

Why is it that something that was supposed to be private had been pasted all over the world?

Why is it that people he had never even met seemed to know the scar he had been trying to avoid?

With the additional pressure, he was quickly ushered to another place which he had been glad to do. He had randomly chosen a place by pointing to the countless colours across the sphere representing the world he lived in. That place he pointed to had been Japan after rotating it, spinning round and round.

He glanced at her, his mind fogged. Maybe it was because of her green eyes, as it was after all his favourite colour. Maybe it was her name, as it was after all his little obsession. Or maybe it was because of her syncing to his mind so easily that attracted him. But now, he wanted to converse with a person he just met.

A warm hand covered his own, "Hoe? You think so too?"

'_Yes.'_

"Wow Syaoran-kun! It's like I can read your mind!" Quickly, Sakura covered her mouth with her palm. "I'm sorry for calling you that. It kind of slipped."

'_It's fine, Sakura-chan.'_

Giggling happily, Sakura nodded at the fluttering of paper lying carelessly in his hands. "So Syaoran-kun, are you finished with the piece?"

'_A little more.'_

"Do you want to go have ice-cream with me? I heard there's a really yummy store around here. That is if you are not busy or anything."

Syaoran glanced at the black watch sitting on his wrist. There was 10 minutes before the promised 1 hour would be over and it would likely take him 10 minutes to finish his piece so even if he had to rush, he would be late to meet up with Takahashi. But there was still time before reporting back to the in-charge teacher.

'_Okay.'_

Syaoran quickly devoted all his attention to the numerous pieces of paper nestling in his arms. He wanted to finish them soon so that she didn't have to wait for long.

She watched his hands brushing over the paper and she concentrated on the brushes of lead his pencil made against the paper. There was a soothing feeling about it and before she realised it, she leaned against the trunk of the tree beside him. She closed her eyes and continued to listen to his graceful waves and light breathing. Even though she had her eyes closed, her mind wondered back to the brushes of his graceful waves.

Syaoran was about to print down the last note, completing the piece of work he had done spontaneously – yet again – when a heavy weight plopped itself onto his shoulder. Slightly surprised, he turned his head and a bundle of locks tickled his nose. She had fallen asleep.

Syaoran smiled widely before chuckling soundlessly into his left palm. He quickly dropped the pen from his dominated right grasp in case his attempt to draw woke her. He rested his hand in an uncomfortable position on his sheets before relaxing his shoulders, hoping to ease the tensed muscles.

He considered waking her, but her sleeping face was too sweet and she looked so happy with the light smile that he couldn't bear doing something so cruel. He carefully brushed a strand of hair from tickling her nose before closing his own eyes.

That's okay. They had plenty of time to spare. They can go to the ice cream parlour when she wakes and the last note on his music sheet won't take long to finish either. He just hopes he can still remember it later. They can chat later, get to know each other better, exchange numbers and keep in contact even when they parted.

For now, it's okay to let time pass slowly and this was a good moment to slow down and take life at a more leisurely pace while savouring its beauty.

Before he realised it, his head too, rested on hers and they both napped with a comfortable air and a warm presence of a new friend.

Oh and why he decided to reside in Tomoeda?

That's an entirely different story.

_**The end.**_

XXSXSXXxXXSXSXX

It's done! Third oneshot! Pure, genuine fluff finally! I really wanted to do a fluff, but always end up going overboard, but finally! Finally! Success! My favourite oneshot so far.

The idea just popped into my head when I was falling asleep and I just wanted to put it down. I actually like this one shot because of its simplicity, but not sure whether I drew it well. (Hint, hint!)

I can see possibility of this one turning into a story, but that depends on you guys. Let me know whether you would like that, otherwise, I think this remaining a oneshot is not a bad idea either. I'll leave the status as incomplete for now, but I will change it within a couple of days if the response isn't enough.

Tell me what you guys think! Just a click away! Right there!

And of course, a big thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.


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